July 2013 - Little Sisters of the Poor

serenity
July 2013
Little Sisters of the Poor
no. 159
Our Mission
Continuing the work of Saint
Jeanne Jugan, our MISSION
is to offer the neediest elderly
of every race and religion
a home where they will be
welcomed as Christ, cared for
as family and accompanied
with dignity until God calls
them to himself.
Cover photos
Front cover: Tom Devern,
dietary manager at Holy
Family Home in Philadelphia,
accompanies Resident, Bart
Brownholtz on a summer walk.
Photo by Irene O’Connor.
Inside back cover: stained glass
window of Jeanne Jugan at
Villa Guadalupe, Gallup, New
Mexico.
Back cover: Pope Francis
releases a dove in St.. Peter’s
Square, May 15, 2013.
serenity
JULY 2013, No. 159
Published quarterly by the
Little Sisters of the Poor
with ecclesiastical approval
©Little Sisters of the Poor
Please contact the Publications
Office for reprint permissions
or change of address.
serenitys@littlesistersofthepoor.org
Annual donation: $5.00
Standard Postage paid at
Baltimore, MD
Contents
In step with the Church
3 In gratitude to Benedict XVI
Our global family
9 Washington’s Little Sister
centenarian still young at heart
11
Jubilarians witness to God’s
fidelity in this Year of Faith
14
The heartbeat of the Sacred
Heart!
Year of Faith
17
The door of faith is always
open for us...
Uniting generations
29 Students spread joy
through ASB service
Reflection
Tenderness for the elderly
As the Church welcomed our new universal shepherd in the person of Pope Francis, we thanked God and at the same time wondered
how our new Pope would mark the Church. Where would he place his
interest and his energies? For us Little Sisters, it did not take long
to discover that Pope Francis is a man who cares deeply about the
poor and the sick, children and the elderly, and who demonstrates
this love in spontaneous gestures of affection and a natural closeness to the poor.
In his inauguration homily on the feast of St. Joseph, Pope
Francis spoke of Joseph as the protector of Mary, Jesus and the
Church. He suggested that we must all be “protectors” by respecting
the created world (as his chosen patron St. Francis of Assisi showed
us so well), and by protecting people - “showing loving concern for
each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need,
who are often the last we think about.”
At an April ordination ceremony in Rome, Pope Francis encouraged the young men about to be ordained never to tire of being
merciful. “You will comfort the sick and the elderly with holy oil, do
not hesitate to show tenderness toward the elderly.”
On the feast of the Sacred Heart, the Pope spoke of the “science
of embrace,” which “manifests the two pillars of love: closeness and
tenderness.” Love, he said, quoting St. Ignatius, “is expressed more
clearly in action than in words, and there is greater love in giving
than in receiving.”
From his very first public statements, many Little Sisters
noted how closely Pope Francis’ words harmonize with the life of
1
Saint Jeanne Jugan, our foundress. Jeanne was a woman of few
words, and she left no writings. Her love was expressed in action.
She understood that love for the poor is lived out in closeness and
tenderness - a closeness that lifts them out of their loneliness, and
a tenderness that lets them know they are valued and that they have
an innate dignity.
This closeness touches the very heart of Saint Jeanne Jugan’s
charism. This is what she taught the young Little Sisters of her time.
It is necessary to be little in order to be close to the least, she insisted, and we must be close to them in order to make them happy.
Just as Pope Francis counseled young priests, Saint Jeanne Jugan
might have advised the young Little Sisters, “Do not hesitate to show
tenderness toward the elderly.”
We thank our new Holy Father, Pope Francis, for giving us the
example that love is expressed more clearly in action than in words,
and for reminding us that our love for the poor must be based on
closeness and tenderness. Please pray for us, that as Little Sisters we
will strive to be little and close to the elderly in order to make them
happy, for that, in the end, is what really counts! n
2
In step with the Church
In gratitude to Benedict XVI
Though he has now retired to a hidden life, Pope Benedict
will always hold a special place in our hearts and in the history of
our Congregation. He will forever be associated with our beloved
Foundress Jeanne Jugan, whose Canonization he approved and
presided over on October 11, 2009. A year later, during his apostolic visit to Great Britain in September 2010, he reached out to
our Congregation in a special way by visiting the elderly of Saint
Peter’s Residence in London “as their brother”, imparting a message
of hope. In gratitude for the pontificate of Benedict XVI, we return
to his words on those two unforgettable occasions.
From Pope Benedict’s Canonization homily
“By her admirable work at the service of the most deprived
elderly, Saint Mary of the Cross is also like a beacon to guide our
societies which must always rediscover the place and the unique contribution of this period of life. Born in 1792 at Cancale in Brittany,
Jeanne Jugan was concerned with the dignity of her brothers and
sisters in humanity whom age had made more vulnerable, recognizing in them the Person of Christ himself. ‘Look upon the poor with
compassion,’ she would say, ‘and Jesus will look kindly upon you
on your last day.’ Jeanne Jugan focused upon the elderly a compassionate gaze drawn from her profound communion with God in her
joyful, disinterested service, which she carried out with gentleness
and humility of heart, desiring herself to be poor among the poor.
Jeanne lived the mystery of love, peacefully accepting obscurity and
3
used with
photos © L’Osservatore Romano,
permission
self-emptying until her death. Her charism is ever timely while so
many elderly people are suffering from numerous forms of poverty
and solitude and are sometimes also abandoned by their families.
In the Beatitudes Jeanne Jugan found the source of the spirit of
hospitality and fraternal love, founded on unlimited trust in Providence, which illuminated her whole life. This evangelical dynamism
is continued today across the world in the Congregation of Little
Sisters of the Poor, which she founded and which testifies, after
her example, to the mercy of God and the compassionate love of
the Heart of Jesus for the lowliest. May Saint Jeanne Jugan be for
elderly people a living source of hope and for those who generously
commit themselves to serving them, a powerful incentive to pursue
and develop her work!”
4
In step with the Church
Benedict Speaks to the elderly as a brother
“As advances in medicine and other factors lead to increased
longevity, it is important to recognize the presence of growing
numbers of older people as a blessing for society. Every generation
can learn from the experience and wisdom of the generation that
preceded it. Indeed, the provision of care for the elderly should be
considered not so much an act of generosity as the repayment of a
debt of gratitude.
For her part, the Church has always had great respect for the
elderly. The Fourth Commandment, ‘Honor your father and your
mother as the Lord your God commanded you’ (Deut 5:16), is linked
to the promise, ‘that your days may be prolonged, and that it may go
well with you, in the land which the Lord your God gives you’ (Deut
5:16). This work of the Church for the aging and infirm not only
provides love and care for them, but is also rewarded by God with
the blessings he promises on the land where this commandment is
observed. God wills a proper respect for the dignity and worth, the
health and well-being of the elderly and, through her charitable institutions in Britain and beyond, the Church seeks to fulfill the Lord’s
command to respect life, regardless of age or circumstances.
At the very start of my pontificate I said, ‘Each of us is willed,
each of us is loved, each of us is necessary’ (Homily at the Mass for
the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, 24
April 2005). Life is a unique gift, at every stage from conception
until natural death, and it is God’s alone to give and to take. One
may enjoy good health in old age; but equally Christians should not
be afraid to share in the suffering of Christ, if God wills that we
struggle with infirmity. My predecessor, the late Pope John Paul,
suffered very publicly during the last years of his life. It was clear
to all of us that he did so in union with the sufferings of our Savior.
His cheerfulness and forbearance as he faced his final days were a
remarkable and moving example to all of us who have to carry the
burden of advancing years.
5
, used with permission
6
photos © L’Osservatore
Romano
September 18, 2010: Pope Benedict
XVI has a cordial visit with the Little
Sisters, Residents and friends of St.
Peter’s Residence in London. During
his hour-long visit he prayed in the
home’s chapel, spoke to all gathered
in the home’s auditorium, greeted
each person individually and then
spent time with those who were too
sick or infirm to join in the festivities
in the auditorium.
In step with the Church
In this sense, I come among you not only as a father, but also
as a brother who knows well the joys and the struggles that come
with age. Our long years of life afford us the opportunity to appreciate both the beauty of God’s greatest gift to us, the gift of life, as
well as the fragility of the human spirit. Those of us who live many
years are given a marvelous chance to deepen our awareness of the
mystery of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
As the normal span of our lives increases, our physical capacities are
often diminished; and yet these times may well be among the most
spiritually fruitful years of our lives. These years are an opportunity
to remember in affectionate prayer all those whom we have cherished in this life, and to place all that we have personally been and
done before the mercy and tenderness of God. This will surely be a
great spiritual comfort and enable us to discover anew his love and
goodness all the days of our life.
With these sentiments, dear brothers and sisters, I am pleased
to assure you of my prayers for you all, and I ask for your prayers for
me. May our blessed Lady and her spouse Saint Joseph intercede for
our happiness in this life and obtain for us the blessing of a serene
passage to the next.”
As we Little Sisters look back at the pontificate - and the resignation of Benedict XVI - we praise God thank him for his teachings,
writings and many contributions to the Church - and especially for
his example of courage, humility and grace in aging. n
7
Sr. Marie Mathilde loves music and enjoys playing the guitar, with a little help
from Sister Joseph Mary.
Sister blows out the candles on her cake, as Mother Mary Michael, superior of
the Washington home, and Mother Provincial Loraine Marie Clare look on. In
the background is the Colombian flag. In front of the cake is a framed citation
from the city of Indianapolis. As superior in the late 1960s,
Sr. Marie Mathilde oversaw the building of our current home in Indianapolis;
she remembers those days with great clarity, and is fondly remembered in that
city.
8
Our global family
Washington’s Little Sister
Centenarian still young at heart
Sr. Marie Mathilde de la Croix, a native of Colombia, has spent most
of her long religious life in the United States. She celebrated her 100th
birthday on March 7th of this year, surrounded by the Little Sisters,
Resdents and friends of Jeanne Jugan Residence, Washington, D.C.,
as well as members of her own family. The following account of the
big day was written by Heather Cave, an employee at our home in
Washington.
Sr. Joseph gently places the guitar strap around her “Sister’s”
neck, they lock eyes, nod and begin to play the guitar - the same
guitar - in tandem, and sing. Sr. Marie Mathilde de la Croix strums,
Sr. Joseph plays the chords, and I am, quite simply, enchanted. Their
music is joyful, and brings a smile to the face of each person, including Sr. Marie Mathilde’s family, all gathered here today to celebrate
her 100th Birthday!
“She really enjoys music,” shared Sr. Joseph. “She is very young
at heart, loves community and bringing joy to others. She is willing to
give anything a try.” After several songs, our Little Sister Centenarian
goes solo and sings one final tune, acappella, the Japanese children’s
song “Sisi,” and many spontaneously sing along with her.
Earlier in the day, Rev. William Brailsford, our chaplain, offered
a Mass of Thanksgiving. Little Sisters from around our province,
Mother Mary Michael, our superior, and Mother Provincial Loraine
Marie Clare, family members and friends join Sr. Marie Mathilde.
In his homily, Fr. William spoke of Mary and Martha, the classic
portrait of unity between contemplation and action, emphasizing
the fact that throughout her life, Sr. Marie Mathilde has been both
a “pray-er” and “worker.” “These two roles,” he said, “are meant to
be lived intimately united to one another, for prayer is truly the
9
“soul” of the apostolate.” Sr. Marie
Mathilde, who at 100 years is still
fit and active, will soon celebrate
her 75th anniversary of perpetual
profession. “May we all strive to
live as Sr. Marie Mathilde,” shared
Sr. Maria Grace, “hearts full of
gratitude and thoughtfulness.”
After Mass, Sr. Marie Mathilde made her way to the Resident dining rooms, and gave every
Resident, Volunteer and Employee
a gift of Spanish cookies. I never
A young Sr. Marie Mathilde in the
Little Sisters’ original habit.
imagined I’d attend a 100th birthday party, or much less, that a Centenarian would be such a vibrant part of her own celebration. Sr.
Marie Mathilde is truly surprising. It is amazing to see that everyone
moves into her presence with a feeling of awe. Folks curtsey, ask for
and offer blessings, rest their foreheads on hers, and simply hold her
hand. She is gracious, gentle and very loving.
When Sister finally slows down it is for a delicious dinner complete with a cake decorated with just three candles – a one followed
by two zeros. After dinner, the Little Sisters, Residents, Volunteers
and Employees gather for a wonderful show, planned in the style of
Sister Marie Mathilde’s home country. The performance begins with
beautiful dancing - a beautiful Colombian Cunbia or courtship dance
- and then a Spanish dance complete with a steady beat of loud hand
clapping, castanets, stomping, and graceful arm movements. Next,
Spanish class students from St. John’s College High School sing for
us, Sr. Joseph and Sr. Marie Mathilde perform, and the program ends
with Sister Marie Mathilde’s acappella performance of “Sisi.”
Today is a great day and we thank God for the joy that attracted
Sr. Marie Mathilde to the Little Sisters and for the joy she sows in
our lives. Happy 100th Birthday, Sr. Marie Mathilde! n
10
Our global family
Jubilarians witness to God’s
fidelity in this Year of Faith
We don’t usually cover the Jubilee celebrations of our Little
Sisters in Serenity, but in this issue we make an exception,
introducing our readers to three very special Little Sister
jubilarians.
2 Little Sisters,140 years of service in Evansville
Our home in Evansville, Indiana, witnessed an exceptional
double jubilee on June 8, 2013, as two Little Sisters celebrated
seventy years of religious life. Sr. Catherine de Marie and Sr. Alexis
Berchmans were born five days apart, one in New York and the other
in Indiana. Both sensed a call to religious life as young girls, and they
credit their parents with fostering their vocations. They entered the
Little Sisters shortly after high school, and met as postulants at St.
Ann’s Novitiate in Queens Village, NY, where they made profession
in 1943.
After serving in various homes throughout the United States
for many years, both Little Sisters were eventually assigned to St.
John’s Home in Evansville, Indiana, where they have served together for nearly three decades (Sister Alexis has actually been in
Evansville for over forty years!). Sr. Catherine has spent many years
in the direct service of the Residents and looking after the chapel,
while Sr. Alexis has spent most of her time supervising the home’s
laundry - a hidden but essential service. Both are still quite active
in these roles!
Surrounded by Little Sisters from numerous homes, family
members, Residents and many friends of St. John’s, our two Little
11
Sr Catherine stands to renew her vows, as Mother Provincial Maria Christine
Joseph looks on. Sr Alexis awaits her turn.
Sisters were honored at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Charles Thompson of Evansville. As they celebrated their combined 140 years of
religious consecration and service to the elderly, Sr. Catherine and
Sr. Alexis agreed that praying and caring for the dying has been a
great privilege. “After their last breath, they see the face of Jesus,”
Sr. Catherine reflected. Asked if she had any advice for young women
pondering religious life, Sr. Alexis proclaimed, “Just go for it!”
Sr. Madeleine of Noumea
On the other side of the world, Sr. Madeleine Yves de
l’Assomption, a French Little Sister, celebrated sixty years of religious
life earlier this year in Noumea, New Caledonia. Sister arrived in
the province of Oceania in 1968 and has served a total of thirty-six
years in Noumea. So well-known and loved is Sr. Madeleine in her
adopted homeland that Noumea’s mayor presented her with the
city’s gold medal, proclaiming, “I know you are called Sr. Madeleine
Yves de l’Assomption, but from now on you will be Sr. Madeleine of
Noumea!” The whole city had been invited to her jubilee Mass, which
was presided by Archbishop Michel Marie Calvet.
12
In step with the Church
Sr. Madeleine is proud to show off the beauty of her adopted homeland.
Sr. Madeleine had prepared a speech for the occasion, inviting
everyone to participate in the Year of Faith: “I wish to thank you all
most sincerely, you who are so many and who have come to join me
as I sing my Magnificat with the Blessed Virgin Mary for my vocation.
This day is truly a great day when I think back to the day of my first
profession and all that I have lived during these sixty years.”
“This year of my Jubilee is very special and important,” she
continued, “since it is also the Year of Faith. The Holy Father, Benedict XVI, has underlined the importance of reclaiming the path of
Faith so that we might better understand the joy that is ours as we
all rediscover Christ and get to know him better. For us Little Sisters
here in Noumea we have had the opportunity to better understand
the teachings of the Church and we are delighted to offer a Resume
of The Year of Faith to all those who wish to deepen their own faith
journey.”
Altogether, Sr. Catherine, Sr. Alexis and Sr. Madeleine represent
200 years of service to the elderly in the footsteps of Saint Jeanne
Jugan. There are many more jubilarians around the world; on behalf
of all of them we offer thanks to God for his faithfulness, and congratulations to our Little Sisters for their fidelity to his call! n
13
The newly professed Little Sisters with Cardinal Dolan (l to r): Sr. Malia Cecilia,
Sr. Mary Gerard of the Cross, Sr. Mairéad Regina, Sr. Elizabeth Mary of the
Cross, Sr. Sharon of the Sacred Heart and Sr. Malia Makalita.
T
he heartbeat of the Sacred Heart!
“You are the heartbeat of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!” This
is how Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, described
the six young women before him who were about to make first vows
as Little Sisters of the Poor.
Cardinal Dolan presided at the Mass of Religious Profession
at St. Ann’s Novitiate, Queens Village, NY on Saturday, June 1st.
He was keeping a promise he had made to one of them — Sr. Elizabeth Mary de la Croix — when he met her in St. Patrick’s Cathedral
shortly before her entrance into the Congregation. When he learned
that she was originally from his home parish in Baldwin, MO, and
had gone to Holy Infant Grade School, just as he did, he vowed to
be present if and when she made first vows. And so the Cardinal arrived on June 1st, even bringing with him Sr. Mary Rosario, RSM,
the current principal of Holy Infant.
14
photo by Obed Lima
photo by John Feenan
Our global family
In his homily, Cardinal Dolan
reminded the six novnov
ices that they were
dedicating themselves
to being the heartbeat
of Jesus, tenderness
incarnate, in treating
God’s people: first of
all in receiving his love
for them, gratefully,
humbly, every day —
and then in returning
tenderthat love with tender
ness to his people.
That message
seemed to strike not
only the six making
profession, but also
the five new novices
seated in the front
row at Mass, and the
Top: Sr. Sharon pronounces her vows into the
many
Little Sisters
hands of Mother Provincial Margaret Regina.
f ro m t h e va r i o u s
Below: Sr. Elizabeth Mary, Cardinal Dolan and Sr.
homes for the elderly
Mary Rosario, RSM.
run by the Little Sisters. They were there to support Sr. Mairéad
Regina, from Ireland; Sr. Malia Cecilia and Sr. Malia Makalita, from
the Kingdom of Tonga; Sr. Mary Gerard of the Cross, from Syracuse,
NY; Sr. Sharon of the Sacred Heart, from Elmhurst, NY; as well as
Sr. Elizabeth Mary, as they pronounced vows of chastity, poverty,
obedience and hospitality.
After Mass the Cardinal and those making profession were
presented with leis by the families of the Sisters from the South
Pacific. The newly-professed learned their new assignments, which
15
Posing with Bishop Peralta and the concelebrants after the Profession Mass
in Bolinao are Sr. Monica Augustine, from Taiwan; Sr. Mary Cordelia, from
Colombo, Sri Lanka; Sr. Adona Rosario, from the Philippines and Sr. Dominica
Mary of the Cross, also from Colombo.
will take them to Dublin, Ireland; Sydney, Australia; Totowa, NJ; San
Francisco and San Pedro, CA; and Pittsburgh, PA.
A month before the profession ceremony in Queens and half a
world away, four novices made profession in our novitiate in Bolinao,
the Philippines, on May 4th. Joining in the celebration were four
young women who had entered the novitiate the day before. Most
Reverend Marlo Peralta, bishop of the diocese of Alaminos, was the
principal celebrant for the Profession Mass. Speaking about the Beatitudes, the Gospel the Sisters themselves had chosen, the Bishop
stressed in his homily that living the evangelical counsels of chastity,
poverty, obedience and hospitality calls for simplicity and humility.
“Religious life does not exclude suffering,” he said. “But even in the
midst of trials and difficulties encountered in our daily life, joy should
be always in our heart, joy that springs from Jesus Christ.”
Like their peers at St. Ann’s Novitiate, the newly professed Little
Sisters in Bolinao received their first obediences with joyful hearts.
They will be serving in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Manila. n
16
Year of Faith
T he Door
of Faith
is always open for us...
During this Year of Faith, our homes around the world
have undertaken numerous initiatives with our Residents,
staff and friends to open the door of faith to as many as possible. Many of the homes have visited designated pilgrimage
sites, or churches where the Residents grew up and received
the sacraments. Others have hosted guest speakers, set up
educational displays, or organized retreats centered on faith.
On the following pages we present a scrapbook of Year of
Faith activities.
17
One of the goals of the
Year of Faith is to encourage
the faithful to read Sacred
Scripture and the Catechism of
the Catholic Church. The Little
Sisters of Queen of Peace
Residence, Queens Village,
NY, took this seriously by presenting each Resident with a
new large print Bible as the Year
of Faith got underway. Many
of the Residents began reading
them as soon as they received
them. Several of the more infirm commented that although they
are no longer able to read due to poor eye sight, just having God’s
Word in their rooms is a consolation to them. The Little Sisters
also took as a practice to invite the Residents to attend daily Mass.
Thanks to this invitation, several of the elderly who had been away
from the practice of their faith for many years have been reconciled
with the Church.
18
Year of Faith
Our Little Sisters in Kansas City,
Missouri, created a
“Faith Museum” to
mark this special year.
The Museum holds
statues and other religious artifacts, including a tapestry of
the Presentation in
the Temple that dates
back to the 1870s.
There are a variety
of books and a media education center - a real wealth of resources
to help “open the door of faith” to Residents and visitors alike.
Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph came to inaugurate
the Museum, taking a real interest in the project.
The Residents make good use of the available materials, especially the computers! One of the gentlemen from the apartments
regularly spends his evenings quietly studying and praying in the
Museum, where he finds much peace among the things of God.
19
A St. Mary’s employee admires a portion of the Faith Wall featuring Sts. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Jeanne Jugan, Juan Diego and Frances Cabrini.
At St. Mary’s Home in Chicago, the Little Sisters organized
a “Faith Friends” project to educate the Residents about the saints.
Each month an image of a saint and his or her biography are prominently placed in the “Faith Friends Spotlight Corner” located outside
the chapel. During the month, a Little Sister animates a gathering to
share a more in-depth history of the saint, his or her life of faith and
a surprise treat such as a sampling of food from his or her culture.
These gatherings have enabled the Residents to share their personal
devotions to the saints, as well as favors they have received through
their intercession. At the close of each month, the saint’s image is
moved to the nearby “Hall of Faith” to join those already studied.
These “faith friends” will thus have a year-long place of honor, sustaining ongoing interest in their lives and example.
Far away in Suwon, South Korea, a focal point of the Year of
Faith has been a large panel display created by the Little Sisters. The
panel includes three hearts representing sacrifice, love and service.
A supply of small colored stickers sits nearby, inviting the Residents
to place a sticker on the appropriate heart when they make sacrifices
or offer acts of love or service. The hearts will no doubt be filled by
the end of the Year!
20
Year of Faith
Left: Residents in
St. Paul discuss
the sacrament of
Baptism.
Below: A Resident
in Suwon admires
her fellow Residents’ expressions
of sacrifice, love
and service.
A t H oly Fa m ily Residence in St.
Paul, Minnesota ,
members of the Association Jeanne Jugan
created displays and
organized discussions
and other activities on
the sacraments.
Guest clergy have
given talks on various
aspects of the sacraments, and a group of
young adults from the
National Evangelization
Team (NET) offered a
day of prayer on Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick.
“As living symbols,” the A.J.J. members reflected, “we are called
to ‘work as disciples of Christ by caring for the sick, the oppressed
and the debilitated’ (Vat.II). We witness this every day at Holy Family
Residence. The loving care given our Residents, the support of families and the efforts of all within our home help us fulfill that mission
and follow the example entrusted to us by Saint Jeanne Jugan.”
21
Fabiola
and Sr.
Christiane
study one
of the faith
notes at our
home in
Noumea.
As an ongoing effort of evangelization, the Little Sisters in
Noumea, New Caledonia, created and distributed a small booklet dedicated to the Year of Faith. They also post faith notes in each
elevator of the home on a weekly basis. Soon after the posters first
appeared, the Little Sisters observed that one of the elevators was
traveling from floor to floor without ever stopping. Inside they
found one of the more reserved Residents absorbed in studying the
information presented that week!
“For Residents, this project has been a catalyst for them to
reminisce on the gift of their faith,” the Sisters remarked, “and several have remarked that it has increased their personal commitment
to pray for their children and grandchildren who seem no longer to
value the gift of faith.”
Fabiola, a nursing assistant, reflected on these activities for the
Year of Faith, “In order to better understand the depth of the Creed
we now realize it is necessary to rediscover, relearn and deepen each
word because they are the foundation stones of our faith and our
life. Through professing, celebrating and praying the Mass we are
better able to go directly to the true Source – Christ.”
Lucie, another staff member, added, “I think that this Year of
Faith has opened a big door in my heart and I have the chance to
better deepen my faith during this time. When I am at home with my
family we often talk about the reflections in the elevator – sometimes
22
Year of Faith
it is my daughter who reminds me –
“Mom, do you recall what was written
today in the elevator?” As a family we
share, we are all aware of being more
grateful for the gift of faith and I feel
a personal responsibility to ask the
Lord to increase my faith so that in
turn I might deepen my faith.”
At Sacred Heart Home in Oregon, Ohio, members of the Association Jeanne Jugan took the “door
of faith” theme proposed by Pope
Emeritus Benedict XVI quite
literally, creating a decorative
door of faith in the hallway
outside the chapel. The door
is changed on a monthly basis
according to the liturgical season or popular devotions of the
month.
It has been said that one
who goes on pilgrimage prays
with his feet. In the case of our
Residents, going on pilgrimage often means praying with
wheels and walkers! Together
with Little Sisters and staff, Residents from many of our homes
have participated in the Year of Faith by visiting local holy sites
on pilgrimage. In some cases these outings have enabled them to
revisit the churches where they received the sacraments, while in
others the Residents have discovered previously unknown spiritual
23
gems in their midst.
The Residents in
St. Louis, Missouri,
began the Year by visiting the shrine of the
Miraculaous Medal in
Perryville, MO. Their
most recent pilgrimage was to the shrine
of St. Ferdinand in
Florsissant, where
one of the Residents
had attended school
as a child.
Residents, Little Sisters and staff in
Oregon, Ohio have
made a number of
pilgrimages, visiting,
among other places, Above: St. Louis’ pilgrims at the shrine of the Miracuthe national shrine of lous Medal; learning about Solanus Casey in Detroit.
Father Solanus Casey
in Detroit and the Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary in Toledo.
In Penang, Malaysia, a pilgrimage to the church of the Holy
Name of Mary in Permatang Tinggi, a site with historical significance for the diocese of Penang, was the culmination of a three day
retreat. The pilgrims were pleased to renew their baptismal vows
during Mass in this shrine.
A large delegation from Queen of Peace Residence recently
visited Curé of Ars church in Merrick, New York. This beautiful church
contains a first class relic of St. John Vianney, a gift of the bishop of
Ars to commemorate the parish’s 80th anniversary. The site is also
24
Year of Faith
home to a Garden of
Mercy, which contains a large outdoor
rosary. This pilgrimage gave participants
a chance to pray together and to learn
all about St. John
Vianney.
Top to bottom: Little Sisters and Residents on
pilgrimage in Penang; a moment of quiet prayer in
Curé of Ars church, Merrick, New York; Denver’s
pilgrims admire the contemporary design of Spirit
of Christ church in Arvada, Colorado.
The archdiocese
of Denver, Colorado, designated eight
pilgrimage sites for
the year, even creating a “faith pilgrim
passport.” Our Residents are on their
way to having their
passports stamped
in all eight locations,
including the Mother
Cabrini Shrine and
Denver’s Cathedral
of the Immaculate
Conception!
This brief tour
gives only a hint of
the many pilgrimages undertaken by
our Residents, who
are eager to pray with
their feet, wheels and
walkers!
25
Good Samaritans gather around their prayer chain in Totowa, NJ.
The World Day of the Sick, which is observed each year on
February 11th, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is always a special
occasion in our homes, but during this Year of Faith, the day was
celebrated with even greater enthusiasm than usual. The theme,
chosen by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, was the Good Samaritan,
by which he suggested, “Jesus helps us to understand the deep love
of God for every human being, especially those afflicted by sickness
or pain.”
The Residents in Totowa, New Jersey, chose to follow the
example of the Good Samaritan by offering their prayers for others.
They assembled a paper chain bearing the names of people in need
of prayer, as well as the Good Samaritans in their lives whom they
wished to support through their prayers. The result was indeed a very
long chain! “Foot after foot, yard after yard, we reflected together
on how our lives are changed by God’s grace and by the kindness of
others,” reflected the Little Sisters.
In Colombo, Sri Lanka, the Residents and Little Sisters
celebrated the day with a sunrise Mass at the home’s grotto. A generous volunteer had decorated the grotto the night before and the
Residents dressed in blue in honor of Our Lady! All gathered at the
grotto again in the evening for a special rosary.
26
Year of Faith
“God was in our midst, we
had no need to fear,” reflected
Kathleen Varney, 93, in speaking
of her experience at our home
in Dunedin, New Zealand on
World Day of the Sick. As part
of their celebration, the Blessed
Sacrament was carried to each of
the sick and infirm for a personal
blessing.
World Day of the Sick was
celebrated with a
“Lourdes Day” at St.
Anne’s Home in San
Francisco, CaliCali
fornia.
fornia The program
included Mass with
the Anointing of the
Sick, and a rosary and
Eucharistic procesproces
sion to the home’s
grotto, an exact reprep
lica of the original in
Lourdes.
Top-bottom: Residents await the beginning of the sunrise Mass in Colombo; blessing of the sick in Dunedin;
praying at the Lourdes grotto in San Francisco.
With so many
expressions of faith
during this special
year, may each of our
homes lead all who
pass through their
doors to a deeper rere
lationship with Our
Lord Jesus Christ! n
27
Top: A group from
Michigan State
University with
our Little Sisters in
Cinncinati.
Above right: There
is no generation
gap at Jeanne Jugan
Residence in the
Bronx!
Above: students
from Boston
University’s ASB
program help
represent St.
Martin’s Home in
Baltimore’s annual
St. Patrick’s Day
parade, meeting the Orioles’
mascot along the
way!
Right: a group of
FOCUS missionaries and students
helps out in the
Bronx.
28
Uniting generations
Students spread joy
through ASB service
Alternative spring break (ASB) experiences have long been
popular at U.S. colleges and universities. This year a large number of
college students from a variety of schools arrived on our doorsteps
to spend time with the Residents and help out wherever they could.
From New Mexico to New York, these young people discovered the
secret that it is more blessed to give than to receive, because it is
precisely in giving that we ourselves receive!
Student groups from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Michigan State University, the University of Nebraska, Boston
University and the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) helped with outdoor clean-up, sorting canned goods, washing
windows, serving meals and animating Resident activities. A group
from Boston University even helped represent St. Martin’s Home
in Baltimore’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade!
Ruby Behringer, a missionary with FOCUS, wrote the following
reflection about her group’s experiences at Jeanne Jugan Residence
in the Bronx, New York.
“The week that I spent with the Little Sisters of the Poor has
changed my life and those with me forever. My name is Ruby Behringer and I am a Catholic missionary with FOCUS. The week of
March 2 – 9, 2013 I led nine students and two other missionaries
on a spring break mission trip with the Little Sisters of the Poor
in the Bronx. As I planned the trip, my greatest fear was that the
students would not have a true mission trip experience because it
was working in a nice facility and working with the elderly. Luckily
I was humbled and God changed hearts and lives. I believe the two
29
key factors to this ‘heaven on earth’ experience were prayer and how
the Sisters showed us how to love. Every day we would pray a rosary,
go to Mass, pray a holy hour, sing evening prayer with the Sisters,
and do night prayer.
A few things I came to realize from the elderly were that we
need to let others serve us, to be vulnerable; that we need the elderly
for our salvation; that relationships are more important than being
efficient; that we need to do small things with great love; the dignity
of life until natural death, and coming face to face with my mortality.
That week the Sisters showed us a love our hearts long for and we
started to grow in a selfless, nonjudgmental, self-giving, patient and
humble way. We began to love each other with that love. As our relationships with the Sisters, staff and Residents began to grow, so did
our love and admiration for them. We saw them as sons, daughters,
brothers, sisters, and ultimately as Jesus Christ. We began to speak
of everyone as family and Jeanne Jugan Residence became home.
One of my proudest moments as a group was putting on a show
for the Residents and serving them in that way. The fruit of the love
we experienced was joy and laughter, which I hadn’t experienced in a
long time. As I was preparing to go home there was a lot of sadness
and fear, but I realized that I could not stay on the mountaintop
forever. So I thanked God for the beautiful memories and began
to choose to love the way the Sisters taught me to love and to see
Christ in everyone.”
Ruby captured well the sentiments of the ASB students, many
of whom wrote personal notes expressing their gratitude and witnessing to how their experiences in our homes will influence their
lives back at school and beyond. The Little Sisters and Residents were
equally grateful for all these young people brought to our homes.
One Little Sister’s reflection sums up the sentiments of all, “Each
student touched our hearts and will be remembered with great affection!” An older volunteer added, “I have never met a group of young
people like this; they really give us hope!” n
30
Uniting generations
Spring breakers
from Franciscan
University of
Steubenville hard
at work at Villa
Guadalupe, Gallup, New Mexico.
Left: Like Baltimore,
Jeanne Jugan Residence, Bronx, NY,
also enjoyed a group
of students from
Boston University’s
ASB program.
Right: Our Sisters
in the Bronx bid
farewell to a group
from the University of Nebraska.
Left: While volunteering at St. Mary’s
Home in Chicago, a
second group from
the University of
Nebraska had time
to some of the city’s
well-known sites.
31
Want to know more about
the Little Sisters of the Poor?
For general information, contact the Publications Office at:
serenity@littlesistersofthepoor.org
Publications Office
Little Sisters of the Poor
601 Maiden Choice Lane
Baltimore, Maryland 21228 U.S.A.
For vocation information in the U.S.A., contact:
vocationsbrooklyn@littlesistersofthepoor.org
St. Ann’s Novitiate
110-39 Springfield Blvd.
P.O. Box 280356
Queens Village, NY 11428-0356
For vocation information in Oceania, contact:
voc.oceania@lsp.org.au
Little Sisters of the Poor
70 Market Street
Randwick, NSW 2031
Australia
For vocation information in Asia, contact:
Philippines:
mmnvtbolinao@yahoo.com
South Korea:
mmlsp@hanmail.net
Visit our website at
www.littlesistersofthepoor.org
32
NoveNa Prayer to
SaiNt JeaNNe JugaN
Jesus, you rejoiced and
praised your Father for
having revealed to little ones
the mysteries of the Kingdom
of Heaven. We thank you
for the graces granted to
your humble servant, Jeanne
Jugan, to whom we confide
our petitions and needs.
Father of the poor, you
have never refused the
prayer of the lowly. We ask
you, therefore, to hear the
petitions that she presents to
you on our behalf.
Jesus, through Mary, your
Mother and ours, we ask this
of you, who live and reign
with the Father and the Holy
Spirit now and forever.
Amen.
Saint Jeanne Jugan’s feast
is celebrated on August 30.
– Pope Francis
a gift to share, a service to offer
for building up the Body
of Christ in love.
�ach of us has a part to play,
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
www.serenity@littlesistersofthepoor.org
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
601 MAIDEN CHOICE LANE
BALTIMORE, MD 21228-3698
JULY 2013, No. 159
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